President Donald Trump said the goal of U.S. negotiations with Iran is “total dismantlement” of its nuclear program, contradicting comments made by others in his administration that Iran may be allowed to retain some enrichment capabilities.

Speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, the president said total dismantlement is “all I’d accept” out of the negotiations and downplayed the suggestion that the U.S. is open to Iran maintaining a civilian enrichment program. 

“Now, there’s a new theory going out there that Iran would be allowed to have civilian — meaning to make electricity and to — but I say, you know, they have so much oil, what do they need it for?” Trump said. 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has indicated otherwise as recently as last month, when he told The Free Press, “If Iran wants a civil nuclear program, they can have one just like many other countries in the world have one.” Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff has made similar comments suggesting Iran could be permitted to continue enrichment up to 3.67% as part of a civilian program, though he backtracked after receiving pushback from GOP lawmakers.

When host Kristen Welker referred to Rubio’s comments, Trump replied, “I didn’t say anything contradictory. I said that people are talking about that. And this is something that’s really pretty new in the dialogue. And I’d have to be, you know, my inclination is to say, ‘What do you need that for? You have a lot of oil.’”

He continued, “I think that I would be open to hearing it, you know? Civilian energy, it’s called. But you know, civilian energy often leads to military wars. And we don’t wanna have them have a nuclear weapon. It’s a very simple deal. I want Iran to be really successful, really great, really fantastic. The only thing they can’t have is a nuclear weapon.”

On Mike Waltz’s reassignment from national security advisor to U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Trump said the move was not a “punishment” for including a journalist in a confidential group chat of national security principals discussing military actions against the Houthis , and dismissed rumors that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth might also be removed from his post, saying Hegseth’s job is “totally safe.” 

Trump also said Rubio, who is serving as interim NSA as well as secretary of state, is “doing an outstanding job” but is “not going to keep it in the long term. We’re going to put someone else in.” When asked if his longtime aide Stephen Miller might be tapped for the role, as has been speculated, Trump said, “I’d love to have Stephen there, but that would be a downgrade. … Stephen is much higher on the totem pole than that, in my opinion” and did not offer names of any potential candidates.